Announced: Top 5 South African magazine covers for 2017

MarkLives.com has announced its Top 5 commercial South African magazine covers for 2017. Shane de Lange, the design columnist for the media, marketing and advertising website, managed the process.

“There are many aspects of South African society that require more patronage and support, none more so than our county’s rich artistic heritage and culture,” comments De Lange. “If many of the print magazine covers published locally this year are anything to go by, art seems to be a key theme. It goes without saying that art is a pivotal cultural pillar in the creation of any thriving society, and so my choice of the top five local commercial covers for 2017 follows this trend in support of South African art and the various cultural efforts — often unnoticed — of South African artists.”

The top 5 covers are:

#1. DESTINY, Heritage Issue, September 2017

#2. Friday, 1-7 September 2017

#3. Art Africa, Issue9, September 2017

#4. The Mission, March/April 2017

#5. VISI, September 2017

The best magazine cover produced in South Africa by a commercial magazine title went to DESTINY for its September 2017 issue, which features the world-renowned, 82-year-old South African artist, Esther Mahlangu, on the cover.

“Themed the Heritage Issue, this cover sets a precedent for pluralism and multiplicity in South Africa,” comments De Lange. “As a portrait of Mahlangu, it’s a picture of grace rooted within Ndebele culture, all in celebration of Women’s Month (August) earlier this year. An effective ode to cultural diversity, representation and identity in South Africa — an approach we need much more of in our country, filled as it is with so much potential.”